PM makes Dotcom correction in Parliament

Prime Minister John Key has corrected statements he made in Parliament two weeks ago about when he was first told about the Dotcom case by the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Mr Key previously told Parliament the first he knew of the GCSB's involvement in the case was on September 17 when he was informed it had spied on the Megaupload millionaire illegally.

He has since said that Kim Dotcom was mentioned during a February 29 briefing he received from the bureau.

Mr Key is Minister responsible for the GCSB and said his response in Parliament was based on his recollection and was shared by the director of the GCSB.

"A subsequent review of all the information held by the GCSB found that on February 29, I viewed a presentation that was not related to the Dotcom file, during a visit to the bureau,'' he said.

"I am advised that the talking points to the presentation included a short reference to the Dotcom arrest as an example of co-operation between the bureau and the police.''

He said the cover slide used during the February 29 presentation was a montage of 11 still images, one of Dotcom.

"Neither the presentation nor the talking points were provided to me in hard copy.

"Neither the director of the GCSB or me recall the reference to the Dotcom matter during the visit, but I accept that well have been made.

"I wish to make it clear that I was not informed by the GCSB on its role in the Dotcom matter, nor any issues of potential illegality until Monday, 17th September,'' he said.

Mr Key said he had no intention to mislead the house.